Saturday, November 10, 2012

Knockout Punch.....

A few years ago, TNA put on a special edition of Impact headlined by the Knockouts Division. It gave me an idea....how could the Knockouts Division find themselves in the main event at a PPV? There are those out there who don't believe it could ever happen and I respect that view, but this is theoretical...IF TNA, or WE, for that matter, find a way to put them in that kind of spot, how would we go about it? I can only think of ONE way: a feud. I'm not talking about a feud that would be anything less than the return of Awesome Kong or a monster push of ODB.

Let's have a look at the more likely of the two. If Eric Young ended the marriage in story and ODB were scorned, we could see a kind of transformation that would light the Knockouts Division up in a meaningful way that could bring more faces into the weekly programming. If TNA got another hour added to their weekly television programming, we could see this put much more forcefully into good use for this kind of story. A rampaging ODB stomping every Knockout in sight would be compelling, to say the least and, if done correctly, could bring back at least one Knockout we haven't seen in a while.

Salinas, Roxxi, Angelina, Raisha, Traci, the possibilities are out there, to be sure. The question would be if TNA could keep up the intensity for long enough to make their returns worthwhile. And though my hopes are high, my own better judgment knows better. Some of the original Knockouts would be wonderful to see once more, but others would simply be eye candy, which is NOT the proper use of the division, in my opinion. NOW, having said that, there are a few who I WOULD bring back if the power were given me to do so.

In my perfect scenario, ODB would have plowed through about 6 Knockouts. My main event scenario would feature a gauntlet match. My would feature ODB in the starting spot with 12 Knockouts coming out at each pin. Of those 12, 9 would be current members of the roster and the final three would be from those who competed for the Knockouts Title at it's debut.

I can think of few returns more welcome in my eyes. She was a devastating loss to the Knockouts Division and I wrote as much when her contract wasn't renewed at the time. Since her tenure with TNA, she's been busy, but if TNA had the right idea about overhauling the division, she would be my first choice in the matter.

Taylor Wilde

As the surprise Knockout to dethrone Awesome Kong as champion, Taylor is choice number two to make a return, even if only for one night as a surprise entrant to the gauntlet.

Salinas

The Latin American Xchange was her place for a time. Her poise didn't strike me as a strong Knockout as much as eye candy at the time, but she is a talented women's wrestler. If given more chance to WRESTLE and not so much direction to keep men's attentions, I think she would make a fine throwback addition to the gauntlet. That was my only problem with her character as given by Vince Russo, the head of creative at that time.

I'm sure there are some who may be scratching your heads as to why not Alissa Flash or Kong or Angelina Love or any number of other Knockouts from TNA's past, but these happen to be the ones I think slipped away before TNA had gotten the chance to let them reach their potential.